Deft Creative Articles

Selecting a Web Designer Part 2, So Many Web Design Companies!

November 18th, 2006

So you have put some thought into what you want your website to do and have prepared a nice helpful brief to send out to some selected web design companies (see Part 1 of this guide, “preparing a helpful brief”).

But who do you send it to?
How can you tell a good web designer from a bad one?

Here are a few things to check and look for…

Check their website

• Is their website functional and up to date?
• Does it look good to you?
• Is it easy to navigate?
• Is it fast loading?
• Are there mistakes in the spelling or inconsistencies in the layouts between pages?
• Is there a contact number published on their website and are they easy to get hold of?

Look at their previous work

• Do all their designs look the same?
• Is it likely they rehash the same template over and over?
• Have they worked on a wide range of projects, including those that are relevant to your own?

Those that have no previous work to show, or who only show screen shots and no active links to “real” live sites should be questioned.

Check references/testimonials

Is there evidence that they have happy customers? Testimonials are a great way of proving that a high level of service can be provided. Beware of phony ones. Do their testimonials match up to real projects that can be viewed online?

Does the number of testimonials seem realistic? If they have been in business for 10 years and have testimonials from 2 happy customers, what happened to all the other customers?

Ask them if any of these previous customers can be contacted to verify the claims.

Google them!

Put their name into Google. What results are returned? Do they appear to be active in their industry with regards to writing articles/sharing knowledge etc?

Are there any instances of people writing about the company unprompted? Is this good or bad feedback?

Why not ask them a few questions as well

• How long have they been in business?
• Do they conform to web standards?
• Do they consider accessibility concerns?
• What are their payment terms? Beware of any that demand payment in full before starting your project.
• How long will it take to build your site?
• When can they start on your project?
• Are their sites built to be search engine friendly?

Conclusion

It is very common for web designers to not publish their prices online so you’ll need to request a quote from them. This is perfectly OK, in fact it would be a concern if they did offer set packages and prices as this would mean they have not assessed your own particular needs and objectives.

The nature of the Internet means that you don’t necessarily have to select a local company, although this would be recommended for larger projects. It’s always nice to meet people face-to-face and it makes discussing complex ideas a lot easier.

As with enlisting the services of any company, it is always a best to get a recommendation. If this isn’t possible then hopefully the above checklists should help with deciding who is likely to provide the best service for your company website.

Entry Filed under: Deft Touch